Orange County, Calif. —
February 17, 2015

Sip the flavor of a silky red wine, taste the essence of a crisp white and experience the elegance of Pacific Coast Wine Festival (PCWF), an exclusive evening of extraordinary wine tasting, an appetizing wine-paired feast, and exciting live and silent auctions. Heading into its eighth year, PCWF has gained a reputation as one of California’s most recognized wine auctions, in addition to being a significant fund-raising event for Pacific Symphony. PCWF raised an astounding $372,000 last year alone. Always popular and filled with one-of-a-kind experiences, this year’s live auction offers stunning wine vacations to the vineyards of Italy, Oregon, Napa and Santa Barbara, as well as the opportunity to own two highly coveted wines by Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Montrachet. PCWF takes place on Saturday, March 7, at 5 p.m., at the five-diamond Island Hotel in Newport Beach. Tickets are on sale for wine connoisseurs and music supporters alike starting at $375.

To maintain its growing success, this year’s festival is once again co-chaired by PCWF’s co-founders, Michael Kerr, Fred Salter and Valerie Van de Zilver. The Magnum sponsor is Jaguar, Land Rover and Aston Martin Newport Beach. For more information or to reserve a table, please contact Pacific Symphony’s special events department at (714) 876-2364 or events@PacificSymphony.org and visit www.PacificCoastWineFestival.com. For additional information about Pacific Symphony, please visit www.PacificSymphony.org.

“Wine and music—a perfect pairing,” says Pacific Symphony Board Chair and event co-founder Kerr. “As a fund-raiser for Pacific Symphony, the Pacific Coast Wine Festival has something for everyone.” Guests of PCWF not only enjoy an extravagant evening of wine, but also invest in the cultural value of the community. Pacific Symphony improves the quality of life in Orange County by providing people of all ages and circumstances with lifelong musical experiences and opportunities to participate in the creative process. Over 50,000 community members from more than 300 organizations throughout Southern California benefit from these programs each year.

With only 340 seats to be sold, Kerr emphasizes that the “PCWF is an event not to be missed!” The festivities begin at 5 p.m. with guests strolling through multiple rooms, enjoying appetizers and sampling from more than 60 wines from well-respected wineries, including Barons de Rothschild (Lafite), Bodegas Catena Zapata, Bodegas Vega Sicilia, Chateau La Fleur Morange St. Emilion, Chȃteau Monbrison Margaux, d’Arenberg, EnRoute, Far Niente, Herb Lamb, John Duval, Leeuwin Estates Lewelling, Loring Wines, Merus Wines, Nickel & Nickel and O’Shaughnessy.

Bidding for the silent auction also begins at this time and includes three sets of auction lots. At 7:15 p.m., guests make their way to the grand ballroom to indulge in a delectable five-course feast, perfectly prepared by the Island Hotel’s Executive Chefs David Man and Marc Johnson, and served with wine to act as the pièce de résistance. The enticing dinner begins with an arugula and Mâche salad with Marcona almonds, dried tart cherries, baby heirloom tomatoes, shaved Manchego and sherry-orange vinaigrette. The main entrée is a pan-roasted filet of beef with custard potatoes, leeks and truffles topped with port wine sauce, and dessert is a chocolate salted caramel bombe and berry coulis. Along with the extravagant dinner, guests enjoy live music as cellists from Pacific Symphony Youth Ensembles perform “The Final Countdown.”

And finally, the evening is topped off with the live auction, full of exceptional experiences exploring the world’s finest wineries. Italy’s most-famous winemaking family, Antinori, has generously donated a private tour and wine-tasting at their vineyard in Bargino. This excursion also includes an overnight stay at the estate of Villa Tignanello to enjoy a dinner at the famous Michelin-starred Osteria di Passignano, and concludes with two luxurious nights at the Tombolo Talasso Resort and Spa. Other auction items include a trip to Napa on a private jet with two other couples, courtesy of Regency Air, a tour through Oregon’s wine country, and a stay at the oceanfront Bacara Resort & Spa for two-nights, taking a drive through a 600-acre vineyard in Santa Barbara. Before saying goodnight, guests enjoy one last treat, a decadent port and chocolate tasting.